Three-dimensional carton-spacer



i 4 Unte States atent I 72} inventor Joseph Carlomagno Jr.

San Francisco, California [2l] Appl. NoA 737,771 [22] Filed June 17, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 20, 1970 [73] Assignees Joseph Carlomagno, Jr.;

Carmen F. Carlomagno, South Pacific Company, San Francisco, California THREE-DIMENSIONAL CARTON-SPACER 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 10S/369, 206/65 Int. Cl B6ld 45/00, B65d 5/58 Field of Search 10S/367, 369(B). 369(S), 369; 214/ l 0.5; 206/65(B), 65; 229/ l4(C) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,419,754 4/1947 Adams 2,834,304 5/1958 Chapman et al. 3,389,665 6/l968 Kauffman 3,405,659 l0/l968 Hees 3,464,367 9/1969 Latter Primary Examiner- Drayton E. Hoffman A torney- Mellin. Moore and Weissenberger 10S/369 l05/369 10S/369 10S/369 l05/369 ABSTRACT: A filler having a boxlike body of unequal length, width and height, and flaps extending therefrom which are adapted to rest on the tops of two adjacent spaced cartons and support the boxlike body between the cartons. The box may be supported in such manner with either its length, width or height lying in the space between the cartons.

Patented Oct. 20, 1970 3,534,691

Sheet l of 2 3o' M/ Flmi P V 1| Ti |"4e |*`4s 40| 54 )l l |3 36 52| 42 L` L 1 l INVENTOR.

JOSEPH CARLOMAGNO JR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1970 3,534,691

V F|G 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH CARLOMAGNO, JR. BY

ATTORNEYS THREE-DIMENSION AL CARTON-SPACER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a carton-spacing device and, more particularly, to a carton-spacing device which can be used to fill a variety of distances between cartons.

In the shipment of cartons or containers in railroad cars or the like, it is of course well known to provide means for maintaining alignment of the cartons, so that shifting thereof, and resulting damage thereto, may be kept to a minimum. Such means may take a variety of forms. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,530,444 (Woods) and 2,196,470 (Montgomery et al.) disclose the use of sheets which are placed between objects to maintain proper spacing. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,627,820 (Rion), 2,34l,088 (Ellis) and 3,209,705 (Crane) discloses generally elongated elements of a set width which fits in between a row of cartons to maintain spacing therebetween. Each of these spacers has the drawback that when it is dimensioned and built, it is capable of spacing cartons only a certain set amount. No one of the devices is capable of maintaining a variety of spaced relationships between cartons. Thus, if the cartons are not so placed that each of these spacers fills the void therebetween, shifting of the cartons, and damage thereto, can easily take place.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,498,804 (Goff) teaches the use of a filler having a wood block which is thicker in one direction than another, and can be turned to provide two positive spacer dimensions. While two-dimensional use is more desirable than one-dimensional, as in the previously described devices, such two-dimensional use is still extremely limiting. U.S. Pat. No. 1,963,545 (Campbell et al.) discloses a spacer which appears to be adjustable to provide a variety of positive spacings between cartons. But a study of this device reveals that it contains structure which is relatively complicated and unwieldy. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 2,402,808 (Ellis) teaches the use of spacers which have turnable wooden plates which may provide a variety of positive spacings between a carton and a wall. But only a one-dimensional spacing is provided between cartons, and so this device is subject to the same shortcomings as the Woods, Montgomery et al., Rion, Ellis (2,34l,088) and Crane devices.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spacer which is capable of providing three different dimensions of positive spacing between cartons being shipped.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, while fulfilling the above object, a spacer which is extremely simple and can be easily manufactured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Broadly stated, applicants spacer for spacing adjacent cartons comprises a body member being of a first certain overall dimension along a first axis therethrough, a second certain overall dimension along a Second axis therethrough perpendicular to the first axis and greater then the first dimension, and a third certain overall dimension along a third axis therethrough perpendicular to the first and second axes and greater than the second dimension. Included are first means extending from the body member along the first axis and adapted to rest on adjacent but spaced cartons and support the body member therebetween. Further included are second means extending from the body member along the second axis and adapted to rest on adjacent but spaced cartons and support the body member therebetween. Further included are third means extending from the body member along the third axis and adapted to rest on adjacent but spaced cartons and support the body member therebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the spacer;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sheet used to make up the spacer of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a loaded car showing the various positions in which the spacers can be used;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A spacer for spacing adjacent cartons is shown generally at 10 in FIG. I. The spacer 10 is made up of a flat sheet of fiberboard l2 cut as shown in FIG. 2 and folded to form the boxlike structure of FIG. 1. The flat sheet 12 includes side portions 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 which form the six sides of a body member 26 of the spacer 10. The side portions 18, 24, when the sheet l2 is properly folded and fixed. are substantially planar and are parallel to each other and perpendicular to an axis 28 which runs through the body member 26. The side portions I4, 20 are also substantially planar and are parallel to each other and perpendicular to an axis 30 which runs through the body member 26, the axis 30 itself being perpendicular to axis 28. Similarly, the side portions 16, 22 are substantially planar and are parallel to each other and perpendicular to an axis 32 which runs through the body member 26, this axis 32 being perpendicular to both the axes 28 and 30.

The body member 26 has an overall dimension A measured along the axis 28 from side 18 to side 24, an overall dimension B measured along axis 30 from side I4 to side 20, and an overall dimension C measured along axis 32 from side 16 to side 22 (FIG. 3). The body member is dimensioned so that A is greater than B, which in turn is greater than C. In this embodiment, A 18 inches, B 12 inches, and C =6 inches.

The side portions 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 of flat sheet l2 are scored at 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 respectively, as shown in FIG. 2. The side portions are also perforated at 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 respectively so that they may be folded to form flap portions 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68 extending from side portions I4, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 respectively when spacer l0 is assembled. The flap portions 62, 68 extend along the axis 28 and are adapted to rest on adjacent but spaced cartons 70, 72 as in FIG. 3, with the body member 26 supported therebetween. The flap portions 58, 64 extend along axis 30 and are adapted to rest on adjacent but spaced cartons 74, 76, with the body member 26 supported therebetween. The flap portions 60, 66 extend along the axis 32 and are adapted to rest on adjacent but spaced cartons 78, with the body member 26 supported therebetween.

It will be seen that, depending on which way the spacer l0 is turned, an overall dimension of I8 inches, l2 inches or 6 inches may be used to fill in the spaces between adjacent cartons. This is shown clearly in FIGS. 3-6. In FIG. 4, a series of spacers l0 are used to show cartons with the I8 inch dimension being used. By simply turning each spacer I0, the l2 inch dimension can be used to space cartons FIG. 5). And again, by simply turning each spacer I0, the 6 inch dimension may be used to space cartons (FIG. 6).

In the use of the spacers 10, cartons, as 70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, are loaded onto a car 82, one layer at a time. Generally, unless the cartons are very accurately dimensioned, a space between them will result. Depending on the size of the spacer, a series of spacers l0 may be placed so that their longest dimension (A) fills the space and keeps the adjacent cartons properly spaced (FIG. 4). Alternatively, the cartons 10 may be positioned so that their intermediate dimension (B) provides the spacing (FIG. 5), or so that their smallest dimension (C) provides the spacing (FIG, 6).

It will be seen that herein is provided a spacer which is capable of providing three different dimensions of position spacing between cartons being shipped` As seen in FIG. 2, the spacer can be manufactured and assembled in an extremely simple manner, and can be knocked down into a flat (unassembled) condition for easy shipment.

Obviously, the invention can be carried out in many different ways, of which the embodiment shown and described is merely illustrative. Therefore, I do not desire to be limited by flap portion formed as a part thereof` and integrally attached thereto, each of said ap portions being foldable outwardly from the plane of the side to which it is a part to a position perpendicular to said side. the flap portions of opposed sides of said body member lying in a common plane when said flap portions are perpendicular to said opposed sides. 

